Connectors for use with flexible printed circuits



Dac 1969 B. w. MATTHEWS 3,436,159

CONNECTORS FOR USE WITH FLEXIBLE PRINTED CIRCUITS Filed June 13, 1967 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec.23, 1969 QWMATT-HEWS 3,486,159

CONNECTORS FOR USE WITH FLEXIBLE PRINTED CIRCUITS Filed June 15, 1967 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 1969 B. w. MATTHEWS 3,486,159

CONNECTORS FOR USE WITH FLEXIBLE PRINTED CIRCUITS Filed June 13, 1967 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 3,486,159 CONNECTORS FOR USE WITH FLEXIBLE PRINTED CIRCUITS Benjamin William Matthews, Small Heath, Birmingham, England, assignor to Joseph Lucas (Industries) Limited,

Birmingham, England, a British company Filed June 13, 1967, Ser. No. 645,806 Claims priority, application Great Britain, June 22, 1966, 27,923/66; Aug. 8, 1966, 35,378/66 Int. Cl. HOSk 1/00; H011 13/54 US. Cl. 339-17 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A connector for use with flexible printed circuits comprising in combination a first part adapted to support a flexible printed circuit, a second part releasably engageable with the first part, and a plurality of conductive terminals carried by the second part which engage exposed conductive areas of the flexible printed circuit, when said second part is engaged with said first part.

This invention relates to connectors for use with flexible printed circuits.

A connector according to the invention comprises in combination a first part adapted to support a flexible printed circuit, a second part releasably engageable with said first part, and a plurality of conductive terminals carried by said second part which engage exposed conductive areas of the flexible printed circuit when said second part engaged with said first part.

In the accompanying drawings,

FIGURE 1 is an exploded perspective view of a connector according to one example of the invention,

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view of part of the connector shown in FIGURE 1, assembled,

FIGURE 3 is a rear view of part of the plug member of the connector in FIGURE 1,

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view of the socket member of the connector in FIGURE 1, but with the terminals removed,

FIGURE 5 is a plan view of a terminal for use in the socket member in FIGURE 4,

FIGURE 6 is an exploded perspective view of the plug member of a second example of a connector according to the invention, but having the printed circuit removed for clarity,

FIGURE 7 is a sectional view of a third example of a connector according to the invention, and

FIGURES 8 and 9 are end views respectively of two alternative forms of the construction shown in FIGURE 6 partially assembled.

Referring first to FIGURES l to 5, the connector includes a socket member 11 and a plug member 12, the plug member 12 being in two parts, a body part 13 and a clamping part 14.

The body part 13 is moulded in synthetic resin and comprises a rectangular base 15 having integral therewith at opposite ends thereof a pair of posts 16. The 1 posts 16 are formed with grooves 16a within which screws (not shown) are engaged to secure the plug member 12 in a desired position. Integral with the posts 16 and extending therebetween in parallel spaced relationship to the base 15 is a rib 17 which projects beyond the edge of the base 15. The outermost edge 18 of the rib 17 is rounded in profile and the upper and lower faces of the rib are each formed adjacent the edge 18 with a longitudinal groove 19. The rib 17 defines with the base 15 a slot 21 the base 15 being further formed with a transverse groove 22 which communicates with the slot 21.

nited States Patent 0 M 3,486,159 Patented Dec. 23, 1969 The clamping part 14 is also moulded in synthetic resin and comprises a strip like portion 23 of length substantially the same as the rib 17 and having at its ends lugs 24 which in use engage the tops of the posts 16 and are formed with grooves 24a which correspond in use with the grooves 16a in the posts 16.

In order to secure a flexible printed circuit to the plug member 12, the printed circuit is threaded through the slot 21 and is then bent around the edge 18 of the rib 17 to lie in contact with the upper face of the rib 17. The printed circuit is then further bent into the grooves 19. The clamping part 14 is then engaged with the body part 13 in such a manner that the printed circuit is trapped between the portion 23 of the part 14 and the rib 17. The parts 13, 14 are secured together and to a support (not shown) by screws which extend within the grooves 16a, 24a in the parts 13, 14, respectively.

The socket member 11 (FIGURE 4) comprises a synthetic resin body which is rectangular in section and is formed with a plurality of transversely extending stepped channels 25 each of which communicates at its inner narrow end with a longitudinal slot 26. Extending from the body are a pair of resilient barbed latch member 27 and the arrangement is such that in use when the members 11 and 12 are interengaged, the latch members 27 are engaged in the slot 22 in the member 12 and the rib 17 is housed within the slot 26.

A conductive terminal 28 (FIGURE 5) is housed in each of the channels 25 in the socket member 11. Each terminal includes a base portion 29 which is formed with tags 31 which in use are deformed to grip and make electrical contact to a conductive lead. The base portion 29 further includes an outwardly directed tongue 32 which engages a groove 33 in the wall of the channel 25 to secure the terminal therein. Integral with the base portion 29 is a pair of resilient arms 34 which extend from the channel 25 into the slot 26 and are shaped to define a pair of part circular portions 35 which in use, engage exposed areas of the printed circuit located within the grooves 19 in the rib 17.

In the alternative construction shown in FIGURE 6 the clamping part 14 is replaced by a second body part 13a, the lower face of which is shaped to engage the upper face of the first body part 13. Thus a plurality of flexible printed circuits can be secured one above the other. In this alternative construction the two plug members can be engaged either by separate socket members 39, 42, FIGURE 8, or by a socket member 42, FIGURE 9, having two sets of conductive members 43, 44 positioned one above the other.

In the further construction shown in FIGURE 7 the socket member 36 comprises a synthetic resin body having passages 37 extending therethrough. Double ended conductive connectors 38 are engaged in the passages 37, and the arrangement is such that a printed circuit carried by a plug member 12 engaged in one end of the member 36 will be electrically interconnected with a similar printed circuit carried by a second plug member 12a engaged in the other end of the member 36.

It will be appreciated that the body parts 13 and the clamping parts 14 of the plub members 12 could be injection moulded around members constituting the ribs 17, the flexible printed circuits 20 being bent around the members prior to the moulding operation. In this case the upper of a pair of plug members 12 would not constitute the clamping part 14 of the lower plug member. Moreover it will further be appreciated that the rib 17 could be a separate part which is clamped to the base 15 of the body part 13 by the clamping part 14 in flexible printed circuit being bent around the rib 17 and trapped 3 between the base 15 and the rib 17 and the rib 17 and the part 14.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A connector for use with a flexible printed circuit, comprising in combination, a first plug member having a projecting rib over which exposed conductive areas of a flexible printed circuit extend in use, a socket member having therein a passage capable of receiving said projecting rib, a plurality of conductive terminals carried by said socket member and housed in said passage, said terminals engaging said exposed conductive areas of the flexible printed circuit when said projecting rib is engaged in said passage, a second plug member substantially identical to the first plug member, and engageable with the first plug member, and clamping surfaces defined on said first and second plug members, between which said flexible printed circuit is trapped when the first and second plug members are interengaged.

2. A connector as claimed in claim 1 wherein the plug members are engaged by separate socket members.

3. A connector as claimed in claim 1 wherein the plug members are engaged by a single socket member carrying two sets of correspondingly positioned conductive terminals.

4. A connector as claimed in claim 1 wherein the plug and socket members are provided with interengageable releasable latch means which maintain the plug and socket members into engagement against accidental disengagemerit.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,154,365 10/ 1964 Crimmins. 3,159,447 12/1964 Crimmins et al. 3,189,864 6/1965 Angele et al. 3,307,139 2/1967 Prise.

3,333,231 7/1967 Travis.

MARVIN A. CHAMPION, Primary Examiner PATRICK A. CLIFFORD, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 3399l, 176 

